1. Technical Field
The present invention relates generally to an improved data processing system and in particular, a method and apparatus for processing data. Still more particularly, the present invention provides a method, apparatus, and computer instructions for managing file systems.
2. Description of Related Art
A file system is a mechanism for storing and retrieving files on a disc. A file system defines the directory structure for keeping track of the files and the path syntax required to access the files. The file system also defines the way files are named, as well as, the maximum file size of the file or volume. A file system generally consists of two distinct parts, a collection of files and a directory structure. Each file in the collection of files stores related data. The directory structure organizes and provides information about the files in the file system.
Some concerns with respect to file systems relate to corruption and errors occurring in the file system. A file system snapshot is employed to establish a consistent block level image of the file system at a point in time. A block is a group of data that is transmitted or processed together at the same time. A block is also referred to as a data block. For example, a block may be one kilobyte in size. The snapshot of the file system is used for creating back-ups of the file system.
These snapshots are used for reconstructing a file system. Current snapshots are not persistent with respect to a crash of a data processing system. The present invention recognizes that currently available snapshot systems are not maintained during file system recovery operations. As a result, these types of snapshots are not persistent across a system reboot.
Therefore, it would be advantageous to have an improved method, apparatus, and computer instructions for creating and managing snapshots for a file system.